A 44-year-old man from Humble has received a massive federal prison sentence following his convictions for sexual exploitation of a child as well as receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Moises Valdez pleaded guilty April 4, 2018.

Today, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller handed Valdez a sentence of 360 months for the sexual exploitation of a child, otherwise known as production of child pornography. He also received 240 months for the receipt of child pornography and another 120 months for the possession of child pornography. The sentences will all run consecutively for a total of 720 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Valdez also received a lifetime of supervised release.

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Valdez came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation which began May 22, 2015, into persons using the internet to traffic in child pornography. An FBI special agent was able to locate and identify Valdez as the owner of a computer offering to participate in the distribution and receipt of child pornography movies through a peer-to-peer network.

On Jan. 29, 2016, authorities executed a search warrant at Valdez’ residence, at which time, they seized a laptop and a desktop computer located within a bedroom belonging to Valdez. A forensic review resulted in the discovery of approximately 75 images and more than 180 videos of child pornography.

Additionally, agents also found one particular video that appeared to be taken from a cellular phone which agents believed Valdez had produced. This video was of an underage female being vaginally penetrated by an adult male penis. Also depicted in the video was an adult male’s fingers that can be seen spreading open the vagina of the child who appears to be sleeping throughout the sexual assault.

Agents were able to identify the bedroom as that of belonging to Valdez.

On March 8, 2016, agents contacted and interviewed Valdez’ wife who identified the child depicted in the video as a minor relative who would have been four –years-old at the time of the assault. She further able identified body parts of Valdez that were seen in the video.

A warrant for his arrested was issued that day, but he had absconded. Authorities ultimately apprehended him April 18, 2016, upon his entry into the United States from Mexico. The investigation revealed he had fled to Mexico after he learned agents had identified him as the male in the video.

At the sentencing hearing today, the court heard evidence regarding a pattern of abuse which rendered Valdez a repeat and dangerous sex offender. The court heard that Valdez had sexually abused three other minor females in addition to the four-year-old victim from the video. These victims were either family members or were children whom Valdez acted as a father figure. One victim was as young as three-years-old when the abuse began. The total amount of abuse on these victims spanned several years. Further, one of the victims told the court that what Valdez did destroyed her family.

The FBI conducted the investigation.

Valdez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

This case, being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/pscand click on the tab “resources.”

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